FPC connector with rotating latch

Abstract

A cable connector includes a housing with an insertion recess for receiving an end of a flat cable and a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing for connecting to conductive leads of the flat cable. An actuator is attached to the housing so that the attitude of the actuator can be changed between a first position at which the flat cable can be inserted into the opening and a second position at which the actuator presses the conductive leads of the inserted flat cable into contact with the terminals. The actuator is attached to the housing at a cable insertion end side thereof and brought to the second position when the attitude of the actuator is changed in an insertion direction of the flat plate-like cable. A fulcrum of the attitude-changing movement of the actuator in the insertion direction is positioned further from the second position, as viewed from an effort point of a force applied by the flat cable to the actuator at the second position, than a point of action of the force being applied.

1. A cable connector comprising:
 a housing, the housing including an insertion recess for receiving an end of a flat cable; 
 a plurality of terminals , each terminal being disposed in the housing for connecting to conductive leads of the flat cable; 
 an actuator , the actuator being attached to the housing so that the attitude of the actuator can be changed between a first position, at which the flat cable can be inserted into the opening, and a second position, at which the actuator presses the conductive leads of the inserted fiat cable into contact with the terminals; 
 wherein:
 the actuator is attached to the housing at a cable insertion end side thereof and brought to the second position when the attitude of the actuator is changed in an insertion direction of the flat plate-like cable; and 
 a fulcrum of the attitude-changing movement of the actuator in the insertion direction further from the second position is located farther, as viewed from an effort point of a force applied by the flat cable to the actuator at the second position, than a point of action of the force. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The cable connector according to  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the effort point and the fulcrum is longer than a distance between the point of action and the fulcrum. 
     
     
       3. The cable connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a supporting surface. 
     
     
       4. The cable connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a supporting surface. 
     
     
       5. The cable connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a pressing portion which presses the flat cable against contact portions of the terminals when the actuator is at the second position. 
     
     
       6. The cable connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the terminals include supporting arm portions extending towards the cable insertion end of the housing. 
     
     
       7. The cable connector according to  claim 3 , wherein the actuator has a rolling surface for rolling on the supporting surface. 
     
     
       8. The cable connector according to  claim 7 , wherein the rolling surface includes an attitude holding contact portion, for making contact with the supporting surface when the actuator is at the second position, and an attitude holding contact limit point located at the end of the attitude holding contact portion on the side of the flat cable, for holding contact limit point functioning as the fulcrum. 
     
     
       9. The cable connector according to  claim 4 , wherein the actuator has a rolling surface for rolling on the supporting surface. 
     
     
       10. The cable connector according to  claim 9 , wherein the supporting surface includes a main supporting surface portion, which contacts the rolling surface when the actuator is at the second position, a stepped supporting surface portion, which contacts the rolling surface while the attitude of the actuator is changed from the first position to the second position and is spaced apart from the rolling surface when the actuator is at the second position, and a step at a border between the main supporting surface portion and the stepped supporting surface portion, the step functioning as the fulcrum. 
     
     
       11. The cable connector according to  claim 5 , wherein the pressing portion functions as the effort point. 
     
     
       12. The cable connector according to  claim 6 , wherein the actuator has a side surface, which contacts a surface of the housing facing the cable insertion end thereof at the second position, and terminal accommodating recesses, which are open in the side surface and accommodate the supporting arm portions. 
     
     
       13. The cable connector according to  claim 12 , wherein an opening end of the terminal accommodating recess on the side of the flat cable functions as the point of action. 
     
     
       14. The cable connector according to  claim 8 , wherein the rolling surface includes a curved surface portion connected to the attitude holding contact limit point on the side of the flat plate-like cable. 
     
     
       15. The cable connector according to  claim 8 , wherein the rolling surface includes a stepped planar surface portion connected to the attitude holding contact limit point on the side of the flat cable. 
     
     
       16. The cable connector according to  claim 14 , wherein the curved surface portion contacts the supporting surface while the attitude of the actuator is changed from the first position to the second position, and is spaced apart from the supporting surface when the actuator is at the second position. 
     
     
       17. The cable connector according to  claim 15 , wherein the stepped planar surface portion contacts the supporting surface while the attitude of the actuator is changed from the first position to the second position, and is spaced apart from the supporting surface when the actuator is at the second position. 
     
     
       18. The cable connector according to  claim 17 , wherein the attitude holding contact limit point is a step. 
     
     
       19. A cable connector comprising:
 a housing, the housing including an insertion recess which receives a flat cable is inserted end; 
 a plurality of terminals each terminal being loaded in the housing for connecting to conductive leads of the flat cable; 
 an actuator , the actuator being mounted on the housing so that the attitude of the actuator can be changed between a first position, at which the flat cable can be inserted, and a second position, at which the actuator causes the flat cable leads and the terminals to connect to each other; 
 wherein:
 the housing has a support surface; 
 the terminals supporting arm portions extend towards the cable insertion end of the housing; 
 the actuator includes a pressing portion which presses the flat cable against the terminal contact portions when the actuator is at the second position, a rolling surface for rolling on the support surface, a side surface which contacts a surface of the housing facing the cable insertion end thereof when the actuator is at the second position, and terminal accommodating recesses which are open in the side surface and accommodate the terminal supporting arm portions; 
 the rolling surface includes an attitude holding contact portion which contacts the support surface when the actuator is at the second position, and an attitude holding contact limit point located on a side of the flat cable of the attitude holding contact portion; and 
 the attitude holding contact limit point is located farther, as viewed from the pressing portion, than an opening end of the terminal accommodating recess on the side of the flat cable when the actuator is at the second position. 
 
 
     
     
       20. A cable connector comprising:
 a housing, the housing including an insertion recess into which a flat plate-like cable is inserted; 
 terminals loaded in the housing and electrically connected to conductive wires of the flat plate-like cable; and 
 an actuator attached to the housing so that the attitude of the actuator can be changed between a first position, at which the flat plate-like cable can be inserted, and a second position, at which the actuator causes the conductive wires of the inserted flat plate-like cable and the terminals to be electrically connected to each other; 
 wherein:
 the housing has a supporting surface; 
 the terminals include supporting arm portions extending towards the cable insertion end of the housing; 
 the actuator includes a pressing portion which presses the flat plate-like cable against contact portions of the terminals when the actuator is at the second position, a rolling surface for rolling on the supporting surface, a side surface which contacts a surface of the housing facing the cable insertion end thereof when the actuator is at the second position, and terminal accommodating recesses which are open in the side surface and accommodate the supporting arm portions; 
 the supporting surface includes a main supporting surface portion which contacts the rolling surface when the actuator is at the second position, a stepped supporting surface portion which contacts the rolling surface while the attitude of the actuator is changed from the first position to the second position and is spaced apart from the rolling surface when the actuator is at the second position, and a step at a border between the main support surface portion and the stepped supporting surface portion; and 
 the step is located farther, as viewed from the pressing portion, than an opening end of the terminal accommodating portion on the side of the flat plate-like cable when the actuator is at the second position.